Opposition slammed over frequent govt fall

Opposition slammed over frequent govt fall LAHORE: Prime Minis­ter Nawaz Sharif on Friday used the occasion of inauguration of a road project to criticise the opposition for issuing every now and then prophecies about the fall of his government and resorting to politics of allegations.

“There is a politician from Pindi, whom you know well, who is predicting the fall of the government,” Mr Sharif said in an apparent reference to Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid.

“He appears on TV channels [talk shows] and foretells the dismissal of the government, sometimes in March, at others in August or in Nove­mber,” the prime minister said after inaugurating the construction of the Lahore Eastern Bypass at Kala Shah Kaku on the outskirts of the provincial capital.

Mr Sharif, who underwent an open heart surgery a couple of months ago, seemed quite energetic during the event. Since the opposition has started re-building pressure on the government over Panama Papers leaks, Model Town killings and corruption issues, Mr Sharif has also embarked on what analysts say a mass-contact drive and is frequently inaugurating different development schemes or announcing public welfare plans.

Referring to Mr Rashid without mentioning his name, the prime minister said: “Three and a half years have passed during these predictions. Now you prepare yourself for the next elections as you won’t win even your lone National Assembly seat this time.”

He announced that polls would be held on time after one and a half years and that they [the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz] would win the next five-year mandate.

Mr Sharif also indirectly criticised Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan and said: “We don’t indulge in the blame game, or saying one thing in the morning and contradicting it in the evening.”

“We practise politics of values and not of power,” Mr Sharif asserted.

He said those who were suggesting that the masses wanted the two leaders [Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri] to join hands [to oust the government] must see the verdict of the masses in the Jhelum and Vehari by-elections.

Mentioning various mega development projects his government had initiated throughout the country, the prime minister said if the government was allowed to work the country would witness more progress and development under the PML-N government.